Gourmet Living in Puriscal, Costa Rica. One of our favourite activities is… eating!

Trekking through the culinary experience in the majestic mountains of Central America is awesome!

From fine dining and sodas [mom and pop restaurants] to homemade creations or supping with friends, long lasting memories are created. Though there are many amazing adventures and activities to participate in when you come to Costa Rica, we must confess… our favourite one is … eating!




Recently we visited an amazing hotel located, near our home base of Altos de Antigua, it is called Paraiso Carlisa. This charming boutique hotel offers a combined jungle adventure and a fine dining experience with a warm Costa Rican Welcome.







We dined on the terrace overlooking the canopy of trees and enjoyed seeing many beautiful birds fly by as we ate our tasty and delicious meals. Each night we enjoyed magnificent entrees prepared to perfection by an internationally trained gourmet chef, Tony. His culinary creations not only delighted the palate, but pleased the eye and the desserts were simply divine.

As a special treat for our last call before returning to our home, he prepared a light and tasty mousse that was made from a local fruit the Aqua Manzana (water apple) which had been freshly picked earlier in the day… Wow!







The local sodas (small local restaurants) are great. With a delicious simple Costa Rican breakfast at Laura’s store, a few minutes from home for under $5, why cook? You can have, fresh brewed Costa Rican coffee, gallo pinto (beans and rice) the best eggs ever and fresh tortillas too. It’s a great way to start your day and the best part is… no dishes to clean.

Cindy’s soda is just another two minutes down the road and is a frequent dinner spot for us and many others from the community. It is a local gathering place and draws people from around the area, because of Cindy, a wonderful lady with a big heart and her super culinary skills.







Her traditional menu (for under $8) are packed with flavour and meet the budget. Cindy’s friendly hug and her hubby, Enrique’s wholesome handshake are the perfect close to every meal.

We also enjoy cooking at home in Costa Rica too. It is easy to prepare a tasty meal when the ingredients are fresh and bursting with flavour. The local growers provide an abundance of fruit and vegetables, ripened on the vine, that you can pick up at the local farmer’s market in Puriscal every Saturday.







Local meats and dairy are also readily available, with fresh fish of many varieties being our favourite – the best I have ever tasted.




Being invited to one of Brian and Mariel’s dinner parties, is a highlight of our stay at Altos de Antigua. The table is always elegantly decorated, due to Mariel’s attention to detail and artful displays. The meal is scrumptious and the company delightful.

Sharing these special times together, with others that have moved here too, help to make our house in Costa Rica feel like home.




Everyone is always welcome as friends gather on a Friday night near the pond, around the fire pit to share hot dogs, steaks and a good visit. A night out at a friend’s casa or even inviting a few friends over to test our latest dessert like guanavana ice cream, is a simple pleasure we truly enjoy — for us, eating and sharing with friends in Costa Rica is always the best part!




Happy Dining! Buen provecho and bon appétit!




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Written by Rheal and Norma Cinq-mars from Calgary, AB in Canada.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.